illustration of Ebenezer Scrooge in silhouette walking toward a Christmas tree and followed by the three ghosts

A Christmas Carol

by Charles Dickens

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The Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come's silence in A Christmas Carol

Summary:

The Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come's silence in A Christmas Carol symbolizes the uncertainty and inevitability of the future. By remaining mute, the spirit forces Scrooge to confront his own mortality and the consequences of his actions without guidance, emphasizing that the future is shaped by one's choices and is not predetermined.

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In A Christmas Carol, why didn't the Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come speak?

The Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come is described as a phantom, and instead of speaking, he points throughout his time with Scrooge. Scrooge asks the ghost countless questions, but perhaps the most important is: "'Answer me one question. Are these the shadows of the things that Will be, or are they shadows of things that May be, only?'"(Stave Four, 10). Because the Ghost is mute, Scrooge doesn't receive an answer to his question. The ghost continues to point to Scrooge's untended grave as an answer. Scrooge finally looks at the grave in horror.

So, why doesn't the Ghost speak? Perhaps this last Ghost is silent to show Scrooge that he really does have free will to change the future. By not giving Scrooge definite answers to his questions, the future appears changeable if Scrooge changes his present course of action. The Past has already been written, the Present is...

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occurring, but the Future is unknown. The theme of man controlling his own destiny is emphasized by this last ghostly visit. In fact, at the end of the tale, Scrooge does change the future the Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come showed him, and "he became as good a friend, as good a master, and as good a man, as the good old city knew, or any other good old city, town, or borough, in the good old world..." (Stave Five, 5).

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Why doesn't the Ghost of Christmas Future speak in A Christmas Carol?

The Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come—sometimes known as the Ghost of Christmas Future, despite not being referred to as such in the text—is arguably the scariest and most serious spirit that visits Scrooge. It is described as a mysterious figure, a phantom that only points its bony finger wherever and whenever it wants to show Scrooge something meaningful. Scrooge asks various questions and makes several assumptions; however, all of his questions are left unanswered, as the ghost is silent.

This ghost's silence could emphasize that the future Scrooge sees before him is inevitable, assuming he does not change his ways. With the Ghosts of Christmas Past and Present, Scrooge was able to ask questions, receive answers, and even argue and or defend himself; but with the Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come, this is not possible. Scrooge's defense of his actions would be futile, as he is watching the consequences of his actions play out in front of him.

It has also been suggested that Dickens deliberately portrayed the final spirit as a silent phantom instead of a talkative apparition like the rest so that he could give Scrooge a chance to make his own fate and choose his own path. The entire point of the story is for Scrooge to understand that greed, selfishness, cold-heartedness, and apathy are some of the worst qualities that a person can possess. Money, power, and wealth will not bring happiness to anyone, because they are meaningless in comparison to life's real values—love, integrity, and kindness.

If the Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come spoke and answered all of Scrooge's questions, then perhaps its word would have been final and Scrooge wouldn't have been able to change the future no matter how hard he tried. In staying silent in the face of Scrooge's questions, perhaps this phantom suggests to Scrooge that nothing is definite and Scrooge can in fact change his future by changing his actions in the present. Thus, the spirit is silent, allowing Scrooge to both see and feel the consequences of his selfish actions and to do something about them as soon as possible so that he can erase the future he saw and live a happier and more fulfilling life.

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Why is the Ghost of Christmas Future silent?

I believe that the reason the ghost of Christmas future, of "Christmas yet to come," does not speak is to lend an air of eeriness to the story's narrative. Dickens always expertly used descriptive language in his writings, but this time, it seems, having no words spoken by this particular ghastly character is a very effective tool. The other ghosts discuss events in Scrooge's past and present and warn him of his fate and the fate of others, such as Tiny Tim, if the miser does not change his life. The final ghost gives no verbal warnings but presents vivid images of what the future holds for an unrepentant Ebenezer and those touched by his greediness. The silence of this character provides an ingeniously dark and hollow feeling of finality to the presumed outcome of the story. After all, there are no words in the grave.

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